The recommendations to amalgamate   Woodburn Day Nursery with Queen Street Nursery School and  Grangemouth Day Nursery with Inchyra Nursery School will now go to the full Council for final approval.

The move, which follows wide consultation with parents, carers and other stakeholders, will establish integrated centres providing childcare and education from 8a.m. to 6p.m. for 50 weeks per year as well as boosting baby places which parents have been asking for.

Convener of Education and Leisure Councillor Dr Alex Waddell said: "We do recognise the concerns expressed in the consultation but there is growing demand for child care places.  We are committed to expanding baby and toddler places to meet demand. These new, integrated children's centres will mean we can make the best use of available places and offer year-round education and childcare."

The Council is planning to build a new R.C. at Antonshill, Stenhousemuir to meet demand for places which would affect the catchment area for St Francis Xavier Primary.

The changes, which are expected to take place from 2010, will mean re-zoning:

• part of the St Francis Xavier catchment to the new school at Antonshill
• part of St Andrew's catchment in central and south Falkirk to St Francis Xavier
• part of St Francis Xavier's catchment in the Airth-Skinflats area to Sacred Heart in Grangemouth
• the Whitecross part of St Andrew's catchment to St Mary's in Bo'ness.

The consultation, which included nurseries, local Councillors and the R.C. Diocese was carried out in June.

Convener of Education and Leisure, Councillor Dr Alex Waddell said: "We are gratefulto everyone who took part in this consultation. The  new school we have planned  and changes in zoning which have been agreed should create greatly improved  provision in RC education in the Falkirk Council area."

First to open will be Grangemouth High at Christmas this year followed by Denny High in February, St Mungo's RC in June and Falkirk High School in July.

Even with the poor weather earlier this year, construction is on target and Falkirk Council's Project Team and the contractors, the Gateway Consortium, are monitoring progress closely.

(The Gateway Consortium, comprises Ogilvie, Stewart Milne, FES and Royal Bank of Scotland).

"It is clear these schools will not only be fit for education in the 21^st Century they will also provide excellent facilities to the communities they serve," said the Convener of Education and Leisure, " Councillor Dr Alex Waddell.

"Our four new secondaries will also have the most modern sports and leisure facilities including swimming pools, grass and all weather pitches like the one which has already opened at Denny High,  gyms, dance/fitness suites and drama and stage facilities, " he said.

The big task ahead will be the "flitting" of pupils, staff and equipment from the old to the new schools, a major undertaking with everything planned down to the last detail to ensure minimum disruption to pupils' education.

In 2004/05 the service employed 18 Modern Apprentices.

Now 54 young people are employed as Modern Apprentices in trades including joiners, electricians, plumbers and painters and decorators.

Councillor Craig Martin, Convener of the Economic Development Committee said: "We have made a serious commitment to providing employment and training opportunities for young people. They are trained to the highest standards and generally move into full time employment with the Council on completion of their modern apprenticeship.

"We have recognised the value of training ‘our own' and are continually investing in our future workforce to ensure the delivery of quality services to local communities."

This year twenty MAs have been employed by Corporate and Neighbourhood Services. Along with the six electrician MAs the service also has:

• 4 plumbing MAs
• 2 joinery MAs
• 6 painter & decorator MAs
• 1 business admin MA

And for the first time a Modern Apprenticeship has been offered for a Technical Support Officer.

  This new position has been filled by Gayle Dalgliesh and along with Aiden Wyllie who is training to be an electrician are the two girls taken on for Modern Apprenticeships with the Corporate and Neighbourhood Services this year.

Councillor Gerry Goldie, Chair of APSE Building and Housing Scotland added: "APSE value the work that Modern Apprentices carry out across Scotland and consistently bring new ideas and talent to work that is being carried out by local authorities. In Falkirk Council's case they have clearly demonstrated a commitment to investing in young people."

Grangemouth Stadium joined over 500 venues across the world in helping to celebrate the moment London became the official Olympic Games Host City on Sunday 24 August 2008.

The London Olympic Handover Flag was raised at the Stadium at the same time as the conclusion of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, a first in the history of the Games.

Grangemouth Stadium was selected earlier this year to be one of a select handful of sports and training facilities to be included in the Olympic and Paralympics guide for athletics and powerlifting for pre Games training camps.

Competitors in the Scottish Age Group Championship taking place at the Stadium that day joined Provost Pat Reid in raising the flag and celebrating the occasion.

Provost Pat Reid said: ‘It is great honour to be able to show our support for the London 2012 Olympic Games and look forward to seeing future sportsmen and women from our area taking part in sport at the highest levels.

‘We are also confident that athletes from across the world will opt to use our first class training facilities in the run up to the Games and demonstrate that we are serious about encouraging sport across our area.'

The flag has been commissioned by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and was also flown at locations such as embassies, British Council offices, HM Armed Forces stations and Foreign and Commonwealth offices.

Amongst the locations in the UK, Olympic Handover Flags were also raised at landmark areas such as the Unst in the Shetland Isles, the most northerly point in the UK and Land's End in Cornwall, the most southerly point.

August) with the launch of a new tourism campaign called Forth's Timeline.

Under the headline "Unravel Scotland's History", the campaign encourages interest in Scottish history and culture by connecting 16 of the Forth Valley's museums, galleries and buildings through common themes.

The new website for the campaign - www.forthstimeline.net - went live today (19th August 2008) and a brochure will be available throughout the area.

The team behind the campaign believes it will attract local visitors unaware of the rich variety of significant and fascinating places found all over the Forth Valley. It will also target overseas and short break holidaymakers interested in exploring over 2000 years of Scottish history.

Forth's Timeline connects the 16 attractions using three themes. The first, ‘Crucible of Industry', links museums examining the industrial revolution.

The ‘Power Struggles' theme considers 2000 years of conflict, at home and abroad. The final theme ‘Landscape of Inspiration' delves into architecture and art inspired by the Forth Valley. Each theme provides a different way to explore the area through real lives, real stories and real museums.

The new website and brochure use these themes to connect objects within the galleries, museums and places of historical interest. During August and September, the Forth's Timeline Exhibition Bus takes the campaign on the road, using real objects from the museums and galleries to help history come alive.

To mark today's launch; Antoninus Pius and Mary Queen of Scots travelled forward in time to 2008 by the unravelling timelines. Starting at the Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum they were able to use the Forth's Timeline website and brochure to reconnect with their own history.

Around 142 AD, Antoninus Pius ordered his legions to build a wall marking the northern territory of the Roman Empire. The Antonine Wall features at Kinneil Museum and Callendar House, two of the Forth's Timeline attractions, and has recently received World Heritage Status.

1300 years later, in 1542, Mary Queen of Scots was born at Linlithgow Palace in the Forth Valley. Aged nine months, she was crowned Queen of Scotland in Stirling Castle, now site of The Regimental Museum of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. Stirling's town wall was to protect Mary from her "Rough Wooing" instigated by Henry VIII. One of her principal nobles, the Earl of Mar, resided at Alloa Tower, now part of the Clackmannanshire Tower Trail.

Falkirk Council is leading the Forth's Timeline campaign in partnership with Clackmannanshire Council and the Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum.

Museums Galleries Scotland is supporting the project through the Regional Development Challenge Fund, funded by the Scottish Government. VisitScotland is also backing the campaign.

Councillor Adrian Mahoney, Falkirk Council's Convener of the Environment and Heritage Committee, said: "This area has some great museums and historic buildings - telling fantastic stories going back thousands of years. I'm delighted this new campaign has been launched. Hopefully the Forth's Timeline project will make people more aware of the fantastic heritage we have in this area and encourage lots more people to pay us a visit."

Joanne Orr, CEO of Museums Galleries Scotland, said: "Attractions throughout the Forth Valley have links to some of the most important events and periods in Scottish history. By supporting this project through the Regional Development Challenge Fund we are able to raise the profile of smaller exhibitions as well as promote a richer experience for visitors."

Sinead Guerin, VisitScotland's Regional Director, said: "The Forth Valley is an area of historical significance for Scotland with a variety of attractions. It also hosts a wealth of accommodation to suit all budgets and strong transport links to both Glasgow and Edinburgh. Forth's Timeline will provide another great reason for visitors to explore the Forth Valley and beyond. It is great to see the area's museums, galleries and ancient monuments working together in this way. This kind of collaboration is crucial as we work towards our shared tourism industry ambition of increasing revenues from tourism by 50 per cent by 2015."

The Regional Development Challenge Fund is funded by the Scottish Government and administered by Museums Galleries Scotland. The Fund aims to encourage the development of partnerships at regional level across local authorities and between museums of all types and other related agencies.

The full list of visitor attractions are The Regimental Museum of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum, Kilmadock Information & Heritage Centre, Clackmannanshire Tower Trail, Clackmannan Tower, Menstrie Castle, Sauchie Tower, Alloa Tower, Castle Campbell and Garden, Dollar Museum, Tullibody Heritage Centre, Callendar House, Kinneil Museum, Grangemouth Museum, The Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway, Birkhill Fireclay Mine and the University of Stirling Art Collection.

Members of the Community, Health and Safety Committee heard today how the local substance misuse strategy had been reviewed to reflect priorities in the national strategy The Road to Recovery which aims to:

• Prevent drug use
• Promote recovery
• Law enforcement to reduce crime, disorder and danger in communities
• Get it right for children in substance misusing families
• Make the delivery of local and national service work.

Councillor Charles MacDonald, Convener of the Community, Health and Safety Committee said: "Tackling substance misuse in the Falkirk Council area is achieved by working with partners in both the statutory and voluntary sectors. This co-ordinated approach allows us to target a wide range of services at different sectors of the community.

"Over the last few years we have focussed on the ensuring that there are a wide range of services available on the ground. Now we have a much more comprehensive and holistic approach to deal with substance misuse.

"Services range from initial information, education and support to families to intensive rehabilitation and post rehabilitation programmes. These services are now in place and through the use of the national standards we will begin to see how effective they will be in reducing substance misuse."

Actions and schemes within the Falkirk Substance Forum Action Plan include:

• The delivery of the ‘Get Real' drugs education package within schools by Central Scotland Police
• An increase in the number of harm reduction service access points
• An increase in the number of one to one alcohol education sessions for clients of substance services
• Active participation with the Falkirk Council Licensing Forum and local events such as BIG in Falkirk to raise awareness of alcohol issues
• A local programme of activity to support National Alcohol Awareness Week
• Delivering smoking cessation services and drop ins throughout the area in partnership with NHS Forth Valley Health Promotion
• Working in schools and youth clubs to raise awareness of the dangers of tobacco.

A report outlining achievements and progress made in developing local and national strategies for tackling alcohol, drugs and tobacco will be prepared for a future meeting of the Community, Health and Safety Committee.

This list is not comprehensive as in some situations it will remain unclear if a facility can open until Wednesday morning. A partial service may be available at other locations however all service users are strongly advised to check beforehand.

Certain ‘life and limb' emergency services will be maintained such as emergency social work cover; homelessness service; emergency housing repairs.

Schools/Nurseries

Schools and Nurseries are making their own arrangements to contact parent/carers to indicate if their children should attend.

Community Facilities (closed)

Callendar House; Kinneil Museum; Sports Centres/Games Halls (Denny, Bo'ness, Mariner, Hallglen, Polmont, Woodlands); All sports pavilions; All libraries except Bo'ness.

Neighbourhood Services (withdrawn)

Street Cleansing and Grounds Maintenance; Registrars (Denny and Brightons); Local Housing Offices.

Social Work Facilities (closed)

Bainsford Day Centre and Oswald Avenue.

Refuse Collection

Significant disruption will be experienced to refuse collection however residents are advised to place their bins in the usual uplift locations.

VICTORIAN offices, a distillery, a warehouse packed with treasures, a former school turned theatre and a pre-art deco cinema are all opening their doors next month . . . as part of Scotland's largest free architectural event.

The buildings across Falkirk district are providing public access on September 13 and 14 as part of the national Doors Open Days initiative. 

The event has been coordinated by the Scottish Civic Trust and delivered locally by the museums' team at Falkirk Council. Organisers hope that local people will get out and about and find out about a range of fascinating buildings, some not normally open to the public.

Carronglen House in Denny was built in 1863 as a private residence for mill owner Andrew Duncan. More recently it was used as the offices of Carrongrove Papermill. The Doors Open weekend will allow residents the final chance to see inside the opulent villa before the building is converted into flats.

Rosebank Distillery in Camelon - which closed in 1995 - will provide free access to visitors on Saturday, September 13. The historic building still contains vats, storage tanks, a whisky safe and sills.

 
Rosebank Distillery, Falkirk

Falkirk Council's Museums' Store in Grangemouth - will be open both days. It houses a treasure trove of historic items, including Roman pottery, an old tram and a locomotive from the former British Aluminium works in Bainsford.

The former Borrowstoun Primary School in Bo'ness - now used as the Barony Theatre - will also be open on September 13 and 14. A typical stone school building, built in the Baronial style, it later became a hosiery factory before being converted into a theatre in the 1960s. Visitors will be able to see lighting, props, scenery and other theatre-related paraphernalia.

Still in Bo'ness, the Hippodrome Cinema in the town will provide access on Saturday, September 13. Scotland's first-purpose-built cinema has been lovingly restored by the Scottish Historic Buildings Trust and Falkirk Council. It is expected to re-open soon as a cinema and venue for film-related events and heritage activities. Visitors will be able to see the results of the restoration project and talk to staff about its future role.

The Hippodrome, Bo'ness

Times vary for each venue involved in Doors Open Days. Full details are available online at www.doorsopendays.org.uk. Leaflets on the local programme will also be available from libraries, museums and other council outlets.

Councillor Adrian Mahoney, Convener of Environment and Heritage for Falkirk Council, said staff had put together an impressive programme of buildings for 2008.

He said: "This year Scotland celebrates 500 years of printing, so it seemed appropriate that we are opening a building that latterly served as the offices of the Carrongrove Papermill at Denny.

"We're also pleased to let local people have a look around the mothballed Rosebank Distillery building in Camelon and the Council's own museum store in Grangemouth - which houses a wealth of historic items.

"Moving to Bo'ness, Doors Open Day will allow residents to tour the fantastic Hippodrome Cinema and the impressive Barony Theatre. It's a great line-up and will hopefully give people a fantastic opportunity to travel across the district and visit these important historic buildings."

He added: "The weekend is a great opportunity to admire the architecture, learn more about the buildings featured or simply have a good old nosey inside!  Best of all, access to all the buildings is free of charge."

Please visit Doors Open Days 2008 for more information.

Scottish Water's Regional Manager Chris Toop, said: "We'll be investigating the cause of the burst but our first priority must be to restore supplies as quickly as possible. We thank our customers for their patience and understanding."

Now it's hoped car use could be reduced when the new £1.4M project gets underway to encourage a shift from car use towards active, sustainable transport.

Take the Right Route - a three year project - will focus on the Larbert and Stenhousemuir areas and aims to achieve increased proportions of active travel and public transport use.

Councillor Adrian Mahoney, Convener of the Environment and Heritage Committee said: "This is fantastic news! Along with the national funding Falkirk Council will also commit just over £450k over the three years. This represents a significant funding package which will allow us to carry out hearts and minds work to encourage people in Larbert and Stenhousemuir to travel on foot, by cycle or by using public transport.

"We have an exciting and innovative project in place and along with partners we aim to deliver a focussed package of measures to encourage residents towards more sustainable modes of transport."

Smarter Choices, Smarter Places was launched nationally in March 2008 as a partnership with local authorities to reduce car dependence, increase physical activity, reduce emissions and promote sustainable places.

The fund received a total of 39 proposals from 28 local authorities and Falkirk Council was one of 13 local authorities invited to submit a Stage 2 bid in July this year.                                                                                            

The Larbert and Stenhousemuir area presented a good opportunity to positively influence travel behaviour at an early stage due to the large amount of development taking place including the new acute hospital, the regeneration of Stenhousemuir Town Centre and the new Kinnaird Village.

Councillor Mahoney added: "Larbert and Stenhousemuir have good internal sustainable transport links and options. There are also a large number of employers located in the area with 74% of employed residents working locally. However households in these areas also have higher levels of car ownership in particular two and three cars per household. Measures taken now and in the immediate future to improve access to and information about alternative modes of transport should have a positive and lasting effect on the whole community and the Falkirk Council area as a whole."

Key projects planned as part of Take the Right Route over the next three years include:

• Two new cycle/footways
• Personal travel planning
• A new sustainable travel website
• Public transport promotions
• Setting up a business travel plan network
• Schools transition projects
• Cycle and Walk to Work projects
• A signage and information network for sustainable travel
• Welcome packs for new homes.

Minister for Transport and Climate Change Stewart Stevenson said: "With more cars on our roads, increasing levels of congestion and rising emissions, it is time for us to look at our travel behaviour. We need to look at new ways to persuade people to consider more sustainable forms of travel. The proposals for Larbert and Stenhousemuir are impressive and have the potential to improve travel options for thousands of residents.

"The Larbert/Stenhousemuir scheme aims to achieve a modal shift from car use to active and sustainable modes of transport, and in particular to reduce the number of car journeys of less than five miles with only one occupant. Cycling and pedestrian routes will be upgraded, including connections to the new town centre and new acute hospital site.

"This initiative could also be used as a template for other local authorities, showcasing the very best examples of sustainable travel initiatives from across Scotland, resulting in a catalyst for change throughout the whole country."

Falkirk Council will work with partners including the public, transport operators, NHS Forth Valley and various community champions.

The ATC is planning to create a small memorial wall in commemoration of Allied personnel who lost their lives and host a programme of events on 13 September 2008 and Falkirk Council has offered its assistance in a number of ways.

This includes:

• Assistance with the engineering, planning, construction and design matters;
• ‘In-kind' support with minor earthworks on the site and;
• Practical support and assistance to the ATC with the organisation of the event.

The wall will be constructed on an area of Council land on Bo'ness Road in Grangemouth adjacent to an existing commemorative cairn on the northern perimeter of the former airfield.

In the longer term, Falkirk Council is helping the ATC with their aims of installing a replica Spitfire aircraft on the site.

Cllr Linda Gow, Convener of the Policy and Resources Committee said: ‘The Grangemouth ATC is to be congratulated for their work in commemorating many local servicemen from both this country and from overseas who gave their lives in the Second World War while based in the town.

‘We were delighted to help out with this great project and look forward to seeing it in place in Grangemouth soon.'

Forth Valley College are also assisting with the construction of the wall.

We would like to hear from local Denny and Dunipace residents who lived in the area during the 1940 - 60's in order to try to establish the source of the waste heaps. 

Environmental Health representatives visited the site in March and as a precautionary measure, closed and fenced off the path to the public whilst a preliminary site investigation was carried out along the length of the path. 

Six locations along the path were tested, and two results indicated contamination. 

In the meantime, the path will remain temporarily closed and path users are requested to follow the diversion signs.  It should also be noted that the Carronglen Bridge has opened offering an additional alternative route.

We apologise for the temporary inconvenience and hopefully we will be able to work together to resolve this issue as quickly as possible.

If anybody has any information, please can they contact Donna O'Kelly on 01324504930 or at Donna.okelly@falkirk.gov.uk

Their motto is clear and to the point - the only thing that should be left behind after walkies are paw prints!

The Green Dog Walkers Project is a community led initiative from Dunipace, funded by Earlsburn Wind Energy Ltd, supported by Falkirk Council, and thought to be the first of its kind in Scotland.

Already local dog owners have volunteered to sign a pledge to always clean up after their dogs and to wear a specially designed armband to identify them as a green dog walker! They will also have a supply of the Council's green biodegradable doggie bags available to dog owners caught short.

But before the project can get underway there's the rather unpleasant job of carrying out a ‘poop' survey. This will establish current levels of dog fouling in the area. Dog bins will also be monitored during the pilot for any increase in levels of scooped poop!

Councillor Adrian Mahoney, Convener of the Environment and Heritage Committee said: "A community led approach to dog fouling is to be applauded. We're aware that dog fouling is a big issue for local people in terms of litter and we do everything we can to tackle this problem.

"We provide over two million poop scoops each year and have also placed 250 specialised bins for use by dog owners in popular dog walking spots throughout the area.                                                                   

"This is the first time a complete volunteer driven project has been tried in the Falkirk Council area to tackle dog fouling - local people taking local action! We will monitor results during the year long pilot and if successful, the Green Dog Walking project could be extended to towns and villages throughout the area."

The Green Dog Walkers Project is a non-confrontational, community based campaign to encourage dog owners to clean up after their dogs. Volunteers will be given, and asked to wear, a bright green armband with the Green Dog Walkers logo, which means:

• They have signed the Pledge to clean up at all times after their dog
• They will carry extra Falkirk Council green doggie bags and can be approached for a spare
• Serve as a friendly reminder to other dog walkers to clean up after their dogs.

Michelle McCallum, Green Dog Walkers co-ordinator added: "We've had enough of just talking about the problem of dog fouling and decided local action and personal responsibility was required.

"Dog fouling is seen as a major community concern in relation to not only the litter issue but also the health risks and costs associated with the cleaning up of other peoples mess.

"We are a community group advocating action using a bottom-up approach which we believe will have a huge impact in the Denny and Dunipace area in terms of reducing dog fouling.

"Green Dog Walkers will receive clear instructions to never confront another dog walker in an antagonistic manner. The friendliness and even creative humour of the project will be the tone at all times."

The pilot will take to all the streets and footpaths and green areas of Denny and Dunipace in late August. At the end of the pilot year final surveys and participant assessment will indicate whether the project has had a measurable success and whether the project can be launched in other parts of the Falkirk Council area.

If you and your doggie pal would like to become Green Dog Walker volunteers, contact the group at greendogwalkers@yahoo.co.uk Michele McCallum at 01324 824843.

A number of cases reported to Falkirk Council have highlighted the often clever but devious requests made by rogue businesses often based overseas outwith UK legislation.

Two major scams currently targeted in towns across the area are the ‘Spanish Sweepstake Lottery' and the ‘Government Programmes Centre'.

Consumers are targeted with mailouts form Correos, Malaga in Spain informing readers that they have won approximately £1 million in the Loteria International Spanish Sweepstake Lottery.  In order to claim your prize, you are asked to provide your bank account details, signature and next of kin details to allow them to process a 10% administration charge.

Local businesses are also being targeted by misleading adverts urging them to contact a hotline where you are urged to buy a business support manual for £250 when all the information is already freely available via a number of local and national government sources.

The mailing has the appearance of a ripped magazine page with an attached sticky note saying ‘call, it's brilliant'.

Cllr Charles MacDonald, Falkirk Council's Convener of Community Health and Safety said: ‘Consumers and businesses have to be aware for these types of scams - they can often be very convincing and unfortunately appear very tempting.

‘The best advice we can offer is to ignore these scams and under no circumstances ever send any money.  Once you do you are virtually guaranteed you will never see it again.'

Nicola Fagan, Trading Standards Co-ordinator said: ‘Do not give out your most sensitive personal details to a company you know nothing about.  They have no interest in helping you and they are simply out to take your money.

‘Authorities often have difficulty in trying to recover anything on behalf of consumers as they are beyond UK law however Trading Standards officers work with the Office of Fair Trading to try and compile information on these scammers and we would urge anyone who think they are the victim of a scam to get in touch with us as soon as possible and send us any material they may have received.'

Another prominent mailing scam involves the offer of a ‘free' gym membership offered by Matter Consulting Ltd of Cheltenham, Glouscester who state that you have drawn the prize donated by a local business.

The ‘prize' is a free gym membership with a compulsory maintenance fee that over the contractual period (of at least one year) amounts to a significant amount of money.  Not only does the ‘free' membership cost hundreds of pounds but the gyms themselves are often falling into a state of disrepair.

Trading Standards can be contacted at Abbotsford House, David's Loan, Bainsford, Falkirk FK2 7YZ or telephone 01324 501414 or by email tradingstandards@
falkirk.gov.uk